Shouta let out a sigh as he watched the students make their way to the practice field. They were behaving like all his previous classes did, chatting and laughing and bouncing with nervous energy. They were all FAR too loud though that might have something to do with the headache he had; Hizshi was always telling him it was his own damn fault for going out to patrol the night before classes started as overusing his quirk always strained his eyes, left him tired, and gave him a headache. Many of the other teachers always took a day or two off before classes started but that was exactly WHY Shouta had to patrol extra hard. Villains weren't stupid… at least the ones that the world needed to be worried about weren't. They paid attention and realized that when school started the number of heroes out and about decreased so it was the perfect time to go on the attack. Shouta made them regret them.
The cost was a headache and a grumpy mood but honestly that was how Shouta felt most days anyway so it wasn't that big of a deal.
This year though… he just knew that things were going to be different. Not even an hour into the year and he could tell he was going to have a lot of problems with this batch of students. First there was the quirkless kid, Midoriya. He'd been trained by Captain Rex which meant he knew his support items… and the boy was smart. His results on the written exam showed that, with only Bakugo managing to score higher than him. Then there was Tano… she had powers but not a quirk and honestly the Force still rubbed Aizawa the wrong way. The Jedi… they had multiple powers that didn't work like quirks at all and Shouta really didn't like having to deal with that mess. He wished that he could have shipped her to Vlad's class but he'd volunteered to take her. And Nedzu wouldn't let him go back on his word.
Rat bastard.
Then there was the fact that he had far more Recommendation Exam students in his class than normally. Usually the students that failed to get the Recommendation Spots would simply transfer to another school, as their sponsor would be more than willing to put in a good word and get them in. Nine times out of ten the Recommendation Students weren't there because of talent but because of who their parents were or who they knew. Little Princes and Princesses.
But this year?
"We can't keep our teacher waiting!" Tenya said (and Shouta made a mental note that he had to remember to call him Ida) in a rather firm and overly loud tone; clearly he hadn't listen to his brother about proper ear protection and was already suffering some hearing loss.
"We're going, we're going!" Shoji said, using one of his hands to talk for him.
This year though? A lot of the Recommendation Students had decided to try to actually get into UA properly after failing the first exam. That meant there was more drive than Shouta was used too… but also more mines he was going to have to deal with. His friend's brother. An heiress. The daughter of a famous Japanese actress. The Number 2 hero's son. And that didn't even take into account that he'd been warned to expect a rich brat from Gen Ed to come and demand that he be put into the class purely because of who his mommy and daddy were.
His headache was already getting worse.
"Alright, that's enough," he said and while the students did quiet down it took them a few seconds longer than he'd have preferred. Something to work on but hopefully today's lesson would instill a bit of fear into them. "We're going to be doing an Assessment Test."
"OH!" Yoarashi cried out and Shoata wondered just how MANY of his students this year had hearing problems. "What strange and wondrous tests will we have to perform in order to prove ourselves to you?"
"…we're going to start with throwing some baseballs." Shoata's eyes drifted to the bag right next to him and he could practically hear all of the eyeballs in the class slooooooowly creak as they glanced at them as well. "You most likely remember this from your years in middle school." The students seemed a bit too shocked to say anything so Shoata decided to continue on. Looking over the group he decided to go with the student that would best demonstrate just what he wanted to happen. "Bakugo." The blond narrowed his eyes and Shouta mentally sighed; wonderful, another brat with an attitude. "I want you to use your quirk. Throw the ball as far as you can."
"Is that all?" Bakugo asked with a scoff, grabbing the ball and moving to the line. At once his entire demeanor changed, going from quiet arrogance to raging determination. Winding himself back in what was an utterly horrible stance in Shoata's opinion, the blond grit his teeth and screamed "DIE!" before snapping his arm forward, an explosion from his palm sending the ball rocketing, quite literally, across the field.
The class all gasped at that, utterly shocked at just how far Bakugo had thrown the ball. Good.
"This test is all about using your Quirks to the fullest, to show you just how they can enhance your abilities."
"Awesome!" Kirishima exclaimed! "This is going to be so manly!"
"Manly nothing!" Ashido chimed in. "This is going to be fun!"
Shouta had been waiting for the perfect moment and now he'd been given it. Time to truly see what his students could do. "Fun?" he asked. "Do you think being a hero is all fun and games?" The smiles slowly fell of the students faces. "A hero dedicates their lives to fighting evil and saving the innocent. It isn't about having fun. People who become heroes just because they are bored or want to entertain themselves endanger the people they are supposed to be protecting." He narrowed his eyes. "I think you need to understand that there are consequences for everything. As such the person with the lowest score after the entire assessment will face expulsion."
"What?!" several students screamed in shock.
"I think I made it rather clear," Shouta said. "Now then-"
"How is this even fair?" Tano demanded, jaw set. "There are quirks that have nothing to do with throwing a baseball or… running laps or whatever else you are going to have us do! So despite being accepted into UA you can choose to just kick us out because you decide a quirk isn't worth it?"
"Its about the person, not the quirk," Shouta said with a bit of bite, annoyed that Tano had decided to speak up. While he'd dealt with loudmouths before she was basically protected which meant he couldn't kick her down to Gen Ed for lip. "If they can't figure out how to use their quirk properly then I am not going to waste my time with them."
"So our entire hero career is based on a single teacher's opinion?" Tano fired back and Shouta began to understand just how she and Skywalker had ended up a pair. "We don't even know what the tests are! You could create one that would work for everyone but Blasty over there-" she waved at Bakugo, "-and get him kicked out because you have a problem with blond hair!"
Bakugo's eyes flew open and he clenched his fists together, roaring, "Fuck you, Shit Horns! I'd beat even that test!" He waved his hands at Midoyira. "If anyone is getting expelled today it's that quirkless piece of shit Deku!"
"That's enough," Shouta snapped, activating his quirk before Bakugo could begin firing off explosions. "I've explained the rules and you know the penalty for losing. If you want to be a hero you should take this seriously. Now then-"
Tano though cut him off, looking utterly shocked. "You… you just heard that bigot attack Izuku because of his quirk status and you aren't going to do a thing?"
Now at the end of his rope Shouta glared at Tano. "I-"
But the little Jedi girl actually KEPT TALKING OVER HIM. "So you drag us out here, tell us that the exam we worked so hard to pass means nothing, and now decide that throwing a baseball really far is more important than not being a hateful brat?" She folded her arms over her chest and glared at him. "Is it too late to transfer to 1-B? Maybe the teacher there won't be a quirkiest."
Shouta took a step forward, the command that Tano wouldn't have to worry about that at all because she could go right to Gen Ed on his lips, damn having to deal with Nedzu and Kenobi, when someone else decided to chime in.
"Now now, Ahsoka," Kenobi said as he walked towards them, a cocky little smirk on his lips. "It truly isn't fair to Mr. Aizawa to say such things. You haven't even given him a chance to respond, have you?" The Heroics Teacher shook his head. "You can't demand someone say something if you don't allow them to speak."
"Sorry Master Kenobi," Ahsoka said at once, dropping her eyes to the ground.
"You must also remember that Mr. Aizawa is NOT Anakin. While he allows you to be more… loose… with your tongue than most pa… most students that doesn't mean that Mr. Aizawa will be the same way." He came to a stop before Tano and the girl was clearly trying not to squirm under his gaze. "Such lip will only get you in trouble, little one."
"Yes Master Kenobi," Tano said.
Kenobi smiled and nodded. "I believe detention is in order for your behavior. If Mr. Aizawa is busy I will be more than happy to oversee it."
Aizawa debated demanding that he take the Tano girl but decided that this was probably a Jedi thing and thus Kenobi was better suited for it. "Works for me. Maybe all these kids should get detention so they learn not to speak out of turn." The students began to protest and more than one glared at Ahsoka who gaped at him. Good… she needed to learn that actions had consequences.
"Oh, I don't think there is any need for that," Kenobi said. "After all, you'll be busy with this one's detention." He waved his hand at Bakugo who snapped his head in Kenobi's direction. During the scolding Tano had been getting the blond had been all smirks but now his good mood was gone.
"My detention!? What the fuck did I do old man?"
Kenobi though merely smiled patiently. "While she was wrong in how she handled it Ahsoka wasn't wrong that your attitude towards you classmate and their lack of a quirk was wrong."
"He's just some shitty nobody!" Bakugo snarled. "Who cares about him? He shouldn't even be in UA!" He turned and glared at Midoriya who gulped and opened his mouth to say something though Kenobi cut him off.
"I wasn't aware you had been given your teaching license," Kenobi said mildly. "Nor was I aware you were on the staff of UA. Was I misinformed?"
Bakugo muttered under his breath.
"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," Kenobi said with a teasing smile. "Could you say that a bit louder."
"…no," Bakugo said, dragging each letter out of his mouth kicking and screaming.
"Ah, good. I'd hate for my 'old age' to begin affecting my memory. So now that we've established that you have no say who is and isn't in UA we can establish that this school has zero tolerance for bullying, especially when it comes to one's quirk status." He looked at Shouta. "Something I NATURALLY assume your homeroom teacher was about to address with you."
Shouta hadn't been planning to address it with Bakugo. While he didn't agree with the boy's comments nor like how he had spoken out so loudly and violently about Midoriya being in class he also knew that the green-haired boy would be facing such comments all his life. He would get no favors if he was coddled by his teachers… he'd need to learn to handle them on his own. Bakugo's own opinions… well, there would be ways to handle that but he been willing to let them slide this one time to see how the quirkless boy reacted.
Kenobi had ruined that.
"Bakugo, detention after school," Aizawa said. The blond grit his teeth and shot a murderous gaze towards Midoriya, then Tano, and finally Kenobi. "Now then, if we are done wasting time we can get back to our assessment-"
"Actually," Kenobi said with a smile, cutting him off, "I came to collect the students for the assembly. You must have forgotten about it."
"I didn't," Shouta said, letting out a dismissive scoff. "They are here to be heroes, not attend pep rallies. If they want to needlessly cheer as people tell them how amazing they are and how many good friends they will make during their years here they can attend any of the other hero schools out there. I am here to make sure they have the will and the drive to become heroes. And more than that I am here to make sure that they are able to save people and save themselves." He cast a look at the students, making sure they were paying attention. "Too many heroes go out who aren't prepared for what this job entails and that means that innocent people get injured. And that's assuming they don't die themselves because they were too full of themselves. They have been told all their lives that they are special, that they are the best. They aren't. They aren't ready… but maybe if they listen to me they will be. Because I refuse to go to another funeral with a casket that is too small."
The students shifted and squirmed and Shouta mentally sighed. He didn't like being the big bad boogeyman who crushed dreams but that's what these kids needed. There were plenty of people out there that wanted to coddle them but heroes needed to understand just how difficult a life dedicated to protecting the innocent was. He'd rather they hate him and live than love him till they took their last breath… which would come far too soon.
He was so… so tired… of funerals.
"Of course, of course," Kenobi said with an apologetic smile. "You are right, of course." He looked away from Shouta and addressed the class. "Being a hero… it is a hard life. One without remorse. Without reward. Without regret. A path has been placed before you… the choice is yours alone. It will be a hard life… but you will find out… who you are."
Shouta noticed that several students looked nervously at Kenobi while others dismissed it instantly, putting it out of their minds. Those ones he'd have to watch out for. But the few that took in Kenobi's words, truly considered them, and then met his gaze without forgetting? Even if it scared them? Well… there might just be hope for the class yet.
"Of course the assembly changed this year," Kenobi continued, now looking at Shouta again. "I haven't attended a 'pep rally' myself but there wasn't much cheering once we got started. The students were given instructions on the different warning systems the school has, introduced to Hound Dog, and educated on the different support groups there were available to them." Kenobi's gaze became a bit flintier. "Because what good is surviving this world if your mind and spirit are utterly broken. Why, I've seen many people die by their own hand because they thought there was no one there that could understand… and we need the students to know that we do and are there for them."
Shouta stared right back at Kenobi. While he agreed with what he said… he didn't like how the man was using it as a weapon against him.
"I suppose I'll just need to cover that in my first Heroics Class, since you've decided to do Quirk Testing in Homeroom." Kenobi smiled like it was a happily little agreement between the two of them and moved to stand next to Shouta. "Ahsoka, please be mindful of your instructor. You are not all wise, young one."
"Yes, Master Kenobi," she said before going up to the baseball.
"Will you really expel one of them?" Kenobi asked softly.
"…no," Shouta admitted. "It's a logical ruse to make them do their hardest. I want to see what I have to work with. I inform them at the end of the class."
"Ah, of course," Kenobi said, stroking his beard as he watched Midoriya take up the ball. "Of course, I imagine it will make your job more difficult."
"What do you mean?" Shouta asked.
"Well… the best way for one to teach someone is to build a bond. One based upon trust and respect. A student must know that they can rely upon their teacher. To tell them what they are weak in so they can find ways to improve, what they are scared of so they can overcome it, what they worry about so they can be relieved of the burden."
He never looked at Shouta.
"And how can any of these students ever trust a man who lied to them the very first day they met him?"
"I don't need them to trust me," Shouta replied. "I need them to listen to me."
Even he didn't believe that.
